1. Field of the Invention
With reference to the classification of art as established in and by the United States Patent and Trademark Office the present invention is found in the general Class entitled, "Paper Manufacture" (Class 93) and in the subclass thereunder entitled, "cutting-including heating" (subclass 33 R & H). Reference is also made to the general Class entitled, "Package Making" (Class 53) and the subclass therein entitled, "progressively seamed cover webs or web folds" (subclass 177) and also the subclass entitled, "forming or partially forming receptacle and subsequently filling it" (subclass 183).
2. Description of the Prior Art
Bag making machines employing heat sealing and a severing knife are old in the art. It is also known to form a semirigid or rigid film into heated die formed shapes and to fill these pockets or forms with a product and then seal the product in each pocket or form. In the prior art devices known, the equipment to provide such bags or packages has been elaborate and expensive. In many such apparatus there is little or no adjustability to permit extensive and inexpensive change as to size, material or product. In the present invention a novel and inexpensive film feed is constructed so as to provide a wide range of selected sizes on the same apparatus. This size is infinitely variable within determined limits. Where package making and/or filling is to be combined with the film feed, the present apparatus provides the ready adjustment and/or replacement of the pocket forming apparatus which may be readily mounted to the proposed apparatus.
Prior United States Patents show film feeding in which one-way clutch actuation is desired and required. Intermittent advance is also shown. Among patents to be noted are U.S. Pat. No. 3,667,354 to STEINMETZ as issued on June 6, 1972; U.S. Pat. No. 3,813,998 to LOTTO as issued on June 4, 1974 and U.S. Pat. No. 3,884,129 to MONAHAN as issued on May 20, 1975.
In these and other prior known devices the simple adjustable film feeding provided by the intermittent advance mechanism of the present invention is not disclosed or suggested.
The present invention provides an inexpensive and simple apparatus by which a film is advanced a selected amount in an intermittent manner. This advance also has means for moving the film slightly so that in response to a signal indicia, such as a printed mark, the film is advanced in a timed relation to a reading of this mark. The film advance includes a film advancing roller which is carried on a reciprocating platform which is preferably moved by a pitman arm. The drive of this arm is adjustable so that the movement of the platform is selected as to the travel. The film advance is further augmented by a roller chain or timing belt which is adapted to drive the film advancing roller by an arrangement of sprockets and one-way clutches.